Improvement in water-wheels



No. 38,775. I PATENTED JUNE-2, 1868.

Y H. VAN DEWATER. v

WATER WHEEL.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFI E.

HENRY VAN DEWATER, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,775, dated June2,1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY VAN DEWATER, of Worcester, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedWater-Wheel 5 and I do hereby declare that the following'is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, makinga part of this specilicatiomin which-Figure l is a vertical section of my invention, taken in the line as :0,Fig.2. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same, the top of thewheel-case being removed Fig. 3, a detached inverted plan of the wheel;Figs. 4 and 5, (let tached views 'of a bucket belonging to the wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention relates to an improved waterwheel of that class which areplaced on vertical shafts, are inclosed within a case, and have adraft-tube connected with the case.

The invention consists in a peculiar construction of the wheel, and alsoin a novel construction and arrangement of the case'and water-chamber inwhich the shaftof the wheel is stepped, whereby it is believed that avery simple and efficient water-wheel of the kind specified is obtained.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a case or penstock, in the bottom of which a circularopening is made to receive a lube, B, which is a trifle larger indiameter than the water-wheel, a-nd.whicliiscolnmonly termed adraft-tube.

the case 0 is provided with four chutes, Df,

the sides (I of which are of curved form, as shown in Fig. 2. The lowerpart, b, of the case (J is of flaring form, so thatits lower edge willfit snugly against the inner side of the draftt ube B, as shown at c inFig. 1.

D represents thewheel, the shaft E of which 18 stepped on an upright, f,in an inverted conical chamber, F, which restson cross-pieces g in thedrafttube. The wheel D has a peculiar-shaped'hub, G, the lower part, h,of which is of cylindrical form, the upper part, 1', being inclined atan angle of about forty-five degrees, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. Thesurfaces of the two parts h i have about an equal area, and at the upperedge of the part i of the hub there is a horizontal rim or flange, j.

Hrepresents the buckets which are attached to the parts h '1'. of thehub G. These buckets are of concave form at their face sides, as shownclearlyin Fig. 4, and they are provided with a lip, k, at their outeredge, which proiects forward and render the buckets somewhat of cup ordish form to catch and retain the water. The upper edges of the bucketsare beveled or of miter form, corresponding with the inclined surface Iof the hub G, and

'the several buckets lap over each other in an inclined posit-ion,-spaces. of suitable capacity being allowed between the lower. ends ofthe buckets to form issues. Each bucket H has a flange, I, connectedwith it, which is the segment of a rim, 1, the several segments being incontact, so as to form a continuous hand all around the wheel whenthebuckets are at tached to it. (See Fig.1.) To thelunderside of the rimor flange jthere are attached a series of pendent lips, m, one in linewith each bucket and'having a slight angular position relatively withthem. These pendent lips m do not project down a great distance, as theyare designed simply to form prominences for the water to catch oract'a-gainst as it enters the buckets, thereby serving as guides. Thehub G has a hole, a, made in it to allow the inverted conical chamber Fto fill with water.

The advantages of the invention are as follows: The water is made to actin the most ctficient manner uponthe wheel. The hub Gr, in consequenceof being formed of a vertical cylindrical part, It, and inclined part1', gives the buckets H a great capacity at their outer parts, so thatthey will freely receive the water,

1 while the lips m properly direct the water into the buckets, and thelips k serveto catch or retain it. These are essential featurespertainin g to the wheel and render it capable of workingin the mostfavorable manner under the percussive force of the water the power ofthew'ater due to gravity being 0' tained'as the water escapes downthrough the issues; The chamber F keeps the step of the shaft perfectlylubrieated, and at the same time the upward'pressure of the water in Fagainst the under side of the hub G takes the weightof, the wheel ofifrom the step, while the chamber]? in consequence of its invertedconical form causes an equal draft or suction all around the bottom ofthe wheel. The lower end of the draft-tube B is immersed in water, so as'to cause the usual suction 1 or draft, as in the French Jouval wheel.

Having" thus described my invention,

Iciaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The buokets.H, constructed as shown, so as to conform to the shape ofthe hub G, and

I','as and for the purpose set forth.

the purpose herein set forth.

below or underneath the wheel D, and inclosing the step 01' the shaftE,as and for the purpose herein set forth.

HENRY VANDEW ATER. Witnesses: v

EDWIN GLEAsoN, GEO M. RICE.

'provided with the lips k and segment-flanges I 2. The pendent lips m,attached to the under chutes D, all 'arran ged-p to operate as and for4. The inverted conical chamber F, placed

